The present invention relates generally to auxiliary equipment used by active outdoorsmen. More particularly, this invention pertains to portable climbing stands used by hunters, photographers, and naturalists.
Hunters, photographers and naturalists have realized the importance of obtaining a high viewing position to avoid detection and increase their visibility of animals. There have been numerous previous patents involving a variety of construction techniques and art forms for tree climbing devices, portable tree stands, platforms, seats, and hand-held climbing devices. This invention is an improvement in user safety, adjustability, weight reduction, tree damage and comfort.
Climbing platforms are known in the prior art. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,111 to Baker issued Dec. 24, 1974, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,765 to Ferguson issued Sep. 25, 1979. Those devices are generally objectionable due to the sharp edges with which they engage the tree since those edges damage the tree bark and possibly injure the health of the tree. In addition, those devices are objectionable since the user needs to be both strong and acrobatic--the user must hang from a support, support both his own weight and the weight of the platform with his arms and upper body, and while thus positioned, manipulate the platform to a new position with his feet.
The prior art has also taught use of two separate platforms, a lower one for the users feet, referred to as a foot climber, and another upper device, or stand, used to sit on. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,320 to Jones issued Dec. 23, 1969; U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,240 to Cotton issued Jun. 1, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,995 to Fonte, issued Feb. 6, 1979; U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,203 to Sweat et al., issued Oct. 28, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,526 to Amacker, issued Feb. 23, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,983 to Nelson, issued Mar. 30, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,331,216 to Amacker, issued May 25, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,645 to Untz, issued Nov. 29, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,338 to Untz, issued Jun. 5, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,942 to Bradley, issued Jul. 24, 1990; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,662 to Porter, issued Sep. 4, 1990. Generally speaking, the prior art devices use a platform assembly which is supported from above by an upwardly inclined member that engages the tree.
In some instances, the prior art devices have also employed a flexible band or support strap and V-notch to actually engage the tree. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,092 to Tentler, issued Jan. 24, 1984; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,473 to Peck, issued Jul. 1, 1986.
The combination of a hand-held climbing device and a platform using a steel band has also been described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,645 to Dye, issued May 11, 1976.
Generally speaking, the known prior art devices have inclined supports extending above their standing surface but those supports present obstructions to movement of the users feet. This characteristic results in a safety hazard for the user. In addition, the known prior art devices generally require a second support from which strenuous actions are needed to manipulate a lower support using one's feet. Manipulation of a device with one's feet is an awkward and unnatural activity for most people.
None of the known prior art devices, however, provide a climbing platform which is substantially free of surface obstructions and which is supported from below by a pair of rigid triangular supports. Furthermore, none of those known prior art devices are designed with a standing platform that is narrower than the widest tree that can be climbed.
Moreover, the known prior art devices have rigid links which are adjustable longitudinally as well as laterally to accommodate trees having a girth substantially greater than the width of the climbing platform.